I caught the ‘Redhound rash’ in my youth, have had it ever since

I think the “rash” started on me at a very early age. At the age of ten I started watching my heroes like Roy Kidd, Jerry Bird, C.D. Vermillion, Frank Selvy, and the many others play ball for the Corbin Redhounds.

Don Estep is publisher of the News Journal.

It was my late friend Bill Crook who gave it the name “Redhound Rash” in the first column he wrote for this newspaper over 30 years ago. He described the “rash” to me as something that has bonded many of us, and we live with it in our hearts.

My “rash” took its full measure when I was a junior at Corbin High School watching the 1955 state champion Redhound football team. It peaked with the play of the best high school football player I have ever seen. Calvin Bird not only was a household name in Corbin, but across the entire state. He was player of the year in Kentucky. His picture was on the cover of the Courier-Journal magazine along with a feature story.

The town lived for Friday nights so we could watch him play football. Then our student body would grab the sports section of the Louisville Courier-Journal on Monday mornings to see how our team was ranked statewide. To our delight they were always number one.

To help some of you understand why we get the “rash,” here is a cutline from a picture of the Bird brothers that I have saved from a 1958 edition of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

It reads, “Here are the three football-playing Bird brothers of Corbin, made even more prominent Saturday night when Calvin scored 25 points against Hawaii in his varsity debut as a U.K. Wildcat. Rodger, a freshman and Billy, a junior, are still playing for Corbin where Calvin set the state prep scoring record with 268 points. Billy now has 42 points in two games for the Corbin Redhounds.”

The Bird brothers are gone now, but they left a lasting legacy. Jerry played basketball for UK and also the New York Knicks. Calvin and Rodger both played football at UK. and both were All-Americans and both played professionally. Rodger played in the Super Bowl.

In my teenage years I would listen to Claude Sullivan broadcast the UK game and that along with watching Calvin play produced a desire in me to become a play-by-play announcer. Fortunately, it happened. I worked with Sullivan as a student at UK and also got to broadcast the games Calvin played at UK. It was a dream come true.

This story is a lead to what the “rash” that has overtaken Corbin High School. Monday I met with Superintendent of Corbin Independent Schools, Dave Cox, and 11 others that make up a committee which is making plans for the inaugural game on the new field that features new facilities, new scoreboard and sound system. Corbin will have one of the best high school football venues in the state.

CHS will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of football on Friday night Sept. 15. Football started in 1923 and soon this newspaper will be publishing the entire history of Corbin football. A note to all businesses. You will surely want to be represented in this special edition. Call Melissa at 528-9767 if she hasn’t already contacted you.

This will be a BIG occasion. Not often do you get to celebrate Centennials, but when you do, you do it in style. We will be informing you about activities that will happen, but for now mark the date, Sept. 15th.

Everybody who has ever attended Corbin High School should want to be at Campbell Field for this event, especially every football player and cheerleader. I’m requesting that our readers help us spread the word about this event. Contact your friends. Share the information on Facebook. Call those who live away from here.

I broadcast the Redhound games for 30 years, starting in 1961. If everything goes as planned I have a surprise for you. I’ll let you know when it gets closer to that date. For now check your “rash” level and make sure it is turned on high!